FIGHTER SQUADRONS
Here a list of the different SAAF Fighter squadrons that served operationally during WW2. This section will include a pilot list for every squadron compiled by the SAAF historian Michael Schoeman. Also to be presented a short history including movement and service record of the different squadrons. A photo album for each squadron will be added with the best photographs I could find. This is work in progress and I will start off with the pilot lists and then complete the info of every squadron progressively.
If you recognise a family member in a name list and want to share some information/photographs/log book to this site please contact me at wcmilling@iafrica.com
This will be much appreciated!
Click on the link below to go to the required squadron
NOTES ON THE SQUADRON PILOT LISTS
SAAF fighter pilots listed by Fighter Sqdn, 1940-45.
The squadrons listed here are units which served exclusively in operational areas or served for most of their time in such areas. Units such as 6 or 43 Sqdns are not included as they served only in the Union, nor is 10 Sqdn’s earlier service in the Union included, nor is 11 Sqdn’s earlier service as a bomber squadron.
Att: attached.
BD: Base Depot.
BI: Burma/India.
Cmd: command
c: circa: about/approx.
CO commanding officer.
DoW: died of wounds
FA: flying accident.
Flt: Flight.
Fm: from.
FTR: failed to return.
GSU: Group Support Unit.
Hosp: hospital.
Injd: injured.
KIA: Killed in action. Note that in this list this includes killed on operations in what might be described by as a flying accident.
Med: medical reasons, including injuries or wounds or illness, for terminating tour. (Includes temporary termination of tour).
MORU: Mobile Ops Room Unit.
MTO: Mediterranean Theatre of Opeations (including North Africa, Sicily, Italy, the Levant, etc).
NW E: North-west Europe, including the United Kingdom.
OTE: operational tour expiried, and usually (but not always) returned to Union.
O.T.U.: Operational Training Unit: Note: only mentioned in specific cases.
RFU: Refresher Flying Unit: as pupil or instructor pilot.
RSU: Repair and Salvage Unit: test or ferry pilot.
RTU: returned to Union, usually at end of op tour.
TEU: Tactical Exercise Unit.
WiA: Wounded in action. Some minor incidents are not included,
X: Pilot was non-oprtational with that particular squadron, either because posting to the unit was just as the war ended or just after (in that theatre of ops), or because a posting was for a very brief period. This might not always be indicated, but a brief period as evidenced by the dates given will be an indication that “non-op” was a probability. Note particularly the pilots posted to 2, 4 and 5 Sqdns in mid-1942 who were re-posted to one of the other units within days or weeks of arrival. There were other examples. Postings between squadrons occurred for a number of reasons.
First names or nick names shown as believed to be used in that particular sqdn.
Where only a month given in a posting date is shown, this might be in error by one month.
Note that ealier (“ex”) postings or later postings after the dates with the squadron, sometimes serve as a guide, as some of these postings took a few days or weeks to occur. For example postings from a sqdn in the Eastern Mediterranean to a sqdn in Italy in 1944-45. Dates of death with subsequent units or not listed, but only with the unit itself.
These squadron lists should NOT take the place of reference to the list in Appendix II of Volume I of “Springbok Fighter Victory” as an indication of overall service in WW II of a particuar pilot. They sometimes served with other units between operational postings, e.g. as instructors at Air Schools or with 6 or 10 Sqdns in the Union, or various units behind the operational areas.
Note: there are some errors in detail in Vol.1 and these will be dealt with by the revision of that book.
Michael Schoeman
2015